I am going to start adding up the items needed for a California Smog passable Ebay headers setup.

I have been interested in Ebay headers for a while, and have done a good amount of research. I want to tackle this along with some other cosmetic projects over summer.
I live in California so Smog is an issue, and I want to be able to pass the sniff test. Visual honestly has never really been an issue, and once I paint them with a black ceramic paint, they should look mostly OEM.

My plan starting from headers back is-

New hardware
Headers
Straight pipes (dual)
02 sensor (pre cat)
Remove OEM resonator #1
X pipe to dual high flow Offset cats.
O2 sensor (post cat)
weld OEM exhaust rear end to new front end
OEM resonator #2
OEM ZHP muffler


Should be what I want...Im hoping all goes smooth when I take it on.

Im looking at 100 for headers, 200-250 for cats, 150 for welding, 100 for additional components. Total is about 600.....

Feel free to throw your likes or dislikes. Il create a write up when I take it on with prices and pictures if desired for us ZHP folk.

I'm interested in seeing how this goes. I want headers, but I want to be able to pass a sniff test.

Dean, I'd love to see how this works out, as I'd be interested in the same set up. BTW, where were you thinking of getting the work done?

Alright Update:

I got some quotes today, looks like about $425 to get catalytic converters welded in line with OEM exhaust (with bungs for O2 sensors) in place of the front muffler (resonator). I plan to leave the bolt on area in tact, and request a new elbow with extended piping going in to the new cats, and the have the OUT of the cats be welded into existing OEM rear exhaust.


http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/c/y/121.png


The entrance for the resonator is currently about 45 degrees, I want to add another elbow to create a 90 (as I described) so the cats can be a straight in-out. I have extra pipe room to work with as you can see.


Here is the Cat I will most likely be choosing: 17 inch in length with a 7 inch width.

http://static.summitracing.com/globa.../MPE-38008.jpg


http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MPE-38008/

Elbows like so:

http://static.summitracing.com/globa...mm-50019_w.jpg



I am going to figure out pipe diameters and measurements shortly. Anyone else have good measurements, feel free to let me know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnrando

Dean, I'd love to see how this works out, as I'd be interested in the same set up. BTW, where were you thinking of getting the work done?

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Still picking a place, have not committed to one. I might just do the measurements and order/bend/weld the pipe with a local friend who has the tools.

Update! measurements.


24 inches from beginning of existing resonator to next exhaust bracket. New catalytic converter is 17 inches. leaving 3.5 inches on each side to play with. Definitely a close fit, but it will fit without modification.

Am curious, did Dean ever finish this project? If yes, how do you route the post-cat O2 sensor wires? Do you have to extend them?